Not Yet Ready
by Alec Davenport
Summary: Summoned to Alicante by the Clave, Alec sees Magnus for the first time in a while. He's just not ready to face him yet.


_A/N: Inspired by an anonymous idea on Tumblr, I hope you guys enjoy this angsty little oneshot. As usual, please read and review._

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Standing before the grand chambers, Magnus stood solemnly. He crossed his arms and stared at the ornate white double doors that led to the council gathering. Summoned by the Clave, he, Isabelle and Alec were to be individually questioned by the Inquisitor; Alec was the last of them and was still behind the sealed doors.

Beside him, Isabelle, too, stared as if willing the doors to open. She turned her head to him and Magnus knew that the sadness in her eyes were mirrored in his own. Isabelle walked up to him and placed a comforting arm on his shoulder. He managed a small smile at the gesture.

"He won't even look at me," Magnus murmured. Through the portal he had created at the Institute, the three of them had travelled to Idris in uncomfortable silence. Isabelle had attempted to act as intermediary between them but her efforts had fallen flat; Alec had wholly refused to talk, look at or even acknowledge his presence. Magnus sighed and swayed as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Cupping a delicate glass between her fingers, Isabelle took a large gulp and blew the hair off her face with annoyance. She usually had her hair held back in a sever ponytail; it was efficient for demon-slaying and that was what she was comfortable with. But today, she had let it down and it was slowly driving her mad.

"Do you blame him?" Isabelle asked and she turned her head back to the doors, as if Alec could actually hear her. "You dumped him. Broke his heart. He's still working through it." She turned back to the warlock and took in his downhearted demeanour with an accusatory look. "And by the looks of it, so are you."

Magnus shook his head and was about to speak when the large doors soundlessly opened and a single shadowhunter stepped out and kept on going as if he was on fire. Alec's pace was swift as he walked across the courtyard with complete disregard of his surroundings and anger contorting his youthful face that made Magnus yearn to comfort the shadowhunter. Magnus shared a worried look with Isabelle before she raced off after Alec, catching just past the corridor that led to the small garden outside.

"Alec!" Isabelle called out as she caught up to him. Her fingers wrapped around one of his arms and clenched, holding him there. "Alec!"

Alec froze and heaved before turning sharply to face his sister, his tortured blue eyes meeting her worried brown. He was angry and he was acutely aware that he wasn't angry at her but it didn't matter. "What do you want?" he spat.

Isabelle jumped in surprise; Alec had never spoke to her like that before. She reached out to him and cringed when he stepped back and glared at her. "What is it? Alec, what happened in there?"

"Nothing." Alec turned around and moved to walk away but stopped when she pulled him back. He sighed and looked up to the demon towers of Alicante, tall towers of glimmering glass that did nothing to dispel the demons in his heart. "I lied," he said softly. "I lied and they knew."

Isabelle's eyes widened and her brows rose so fast they disappeared into her hairline. "You _lied_? By the angel why would you that?"

Alec shrugged and turned his head back to his sister, his eyes moving past her to land on Magnus who had run out after them and was now staring right at him. Their eyes met and they stared in anger and in sadness until Magnus turned away. "Because the truth is a little too pathetic to say out loud," he said, just loud enough for Magnus to hear.

Giving Magnus one last look, Alec turned on his heels and all but ran, the walls of Alicante passing him by in a blur. He walked and he ran, weaving through the streets without a care as to where he was actually going. He ignored the looks people through him and continued on, turning left then right, hoping to lose himself in the maze.

As he ran, Alec found himself in a quite courtyard some distance from where he had started. In the middle was a fountain and he walked towards it, the sound of moving water calming him down slightly. He perched himself beside the fountain and looked up at the clear, blue sky above him. His mind flashed to Magnus earlier who had looked nearly as bad as he felt. Alec found a little comfort in that thought and laughed silently to himself. Deep down, he knew that he was the reason Magnus looked that way, and the warlock was the reason he was now feeling like he'd been run over by a bus. Every day he had told himself that he was over Magnus. He had stopped calling. He did all he could to not think of the weird outfits, the glitter, the smile, or the eyes. Again and again he told himself that it was over, that he didn't care, but that was a lie. Alec realised that he'd begun to lie a lot more since he'd met Magnus that fateful night, or maybe he'd just become more aware of it, he wasn't sure.

The sound of footsteps startled him and Alec turned to see Magnus standing a distance away, worry plastered on his youthful face. Alec's face paled and his fingers gripped until his knuckles turned white. The wound still too fresh within him, Alec stood up, his eyes never leaving Magnus'. Magnus took a step forward then froze when Alec took an equal step back.

He couldn't face Magnus; he didn't have the strength, so he took another step back and turned away, knowing that Magnus was matching his every step.

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_A/N: Please read and review._


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